Introducing The Grama Grasses, Which Are Known For Their Pretty Spikelets

Broaden your knowledge about these native ornamental grasses.

May

• Published in Interesting
• May 25, 2022

The Bouteloua gracilis or commonly known as the Blue Grama is an ornamental grass that's compact and low-growing. When you look at the blooms of this ornamental grass, you'll notice that they look like small brushes.

Growing in dense tufts, the warm-season grass dangles in a horizontal manner from a single side of the flowering stem. Its inflorescences are red-tinted at the beginning and eventually turn straw-colored.

With its height reaching only 12 to 14 inches, the native oriental grass is among the shortest. If this plant is dormant, it becomes tan.

The small size of the Blue Grama is what makes it a good choice for rock gardens. It can either be a single specimen or in small bunches. 

Another grama grass species is called the Bouteloua curtipendula or the sideoats grama. It is a bunchy or sod-forming grass with upright, wiry clumps of 2-3 ft stems. 

When the grass blooms, the small vivid purple and orange flowers are so lovely. Numerous Skipper butterflies and moths use Sideoats Grama as a larval host plant.

This clump-forming perennial is also a warm-season grass species. During fall, the base foliage often turns purple and red.

These Grama grass species are primarily found in North America, with a few species being found in Central and South America.

This species is called the Bouteloua curtipendula, commonly known as sideoats grass.

Sideoats grama is plentiful in the Great Plains prairies and widespread in other areas, but it is uncommon in New England. It is native to western Connecticut, wherein a few populations are found, but was transported to Maine in unusual waste material deposits that included seeds. 

Its scarcity may be attributed to its preference for high-pH soils and dry to sandy environments. Dam construction, shade from forest succession, and invasive species are all likely culprits in the reduction of sideoats grama.

The Blue Grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) is typically cultivated as they add beauty to floral arrangements.

Bouteloua gracilis is resistant to drought, deer, and pests. Making it part of your garden is equivalent to a gift to wildlife because it is a native plant. 

It serves as a nesting site and provides food for birds, pollinators, and small mammals. If you live on a farm with cows or other grazing creatures, Bouteloua gracilis is tough enough to resist their munching.

If you want to have grama grasses, follow these tips.

Blue grama grass should be planted two months before the first frost in autumn. Till the area and add compost or mixed grit to enable percolation and drainage before planting.

Rake out any flaws or debris. Afterward, it's time to grade the area.

This attractive bluish grass is easy to care for and takes only a fraction of the normal turfgrass treatment that other produced types appear to require. If you fertilize, use low-nitrogen grass at the beginning of spring.

The sideoats grama, on the other hand, prefers sun exposure but will grow in light shade. It may grow in a variety of soil types, from sandy to clay, as long as it drains well.

Since root rot potentially happens with this species, it should not be grown in an overly moist environment. It does not need a lot of maintenance as long as you maintain a good environment for it to thrive.

May